Plate apparatus for heat exchanges



Oct. 20, 1931. R. SELIGMAN 1,823,477

PLATE APPARATUS FOR HEAT EXCHANGES Filed March 9, 1929- Patented Oct. 20, 1931 nrcnzean snmem, or

Parser orrics WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND rmrn nrrm'rus non HEAT nxcnwens Application filed March 9,1929, Serial No. 345,838, and in the Netherlands April 25, 1328.

This invention has reference to the kinde of apparatus for effecting exchange of heat employinga number or series of plates adapted to maintain the liquids or fluids in a condition of separation and to furnish zlg-zag channels or passages for the fiow'of the liquids or fluids. j

The present'inventionrelates to an improvement in or modification oi the plate construction described in my patent a pheation filed March 9th, 1929, erial umber 345,835, which has matured into Patent No.

1,770,254, with I particular reference to the construction of plate intended for usewhen s a considerable gas or fluid, such as steam, is employed as the heating medium, in connection with which it is necessary to provide for the ready removal or discharge of the condensed gas or vapour. no In the specification of the patent application above referred to there is described 9. construction of plate whereof the interior is formed with upper and lower box-like spaces which are connected by short communicating passages, the arrangement tending to assist precipitation and enable the esca e of the cgndensed gas or vapour'to be rea ily efiecte The present invention is designed with the object of preserving in the plates for use with condensable gases or fluids the zig-zag path therefor so that the heating medium and the liquid to be heated may be enabled to follow paths which run counter the one to the other while also providing for the ready-precipitation and escape of the condensed va our or gas.

lccording to this invention, the plate is constructed with bafies which are connected to the frame at one end and spaced from the frame at the other end with apertures provided' at the lower ends of certain hafies to permit the escape of condensate, the said apertures being either of equal small area 0r of increasing area as the bafiles approach the outlet port, and being disposed beneath 'the bafiies as circumstances require.

Thus zig-zag passages are provided for the flow oi the heating inedium'while the condensate is enabled Lo'pass from the sevml passages under the respective bames to the outlet port. The condensate as it is precipitated enters the small or graduated apertures beneath the several alternate bafiies and acts as a water seal for the steam and so causes the same to follow the zigzag course through the passages formed by the arrangement of the baflles.

The plate may be constructed with the bellies formed between and integral with the side walls so as to constitute interior .zig-zag passages, 01' the late may be formed as a. grid and used wit plates having plain faces for closing the passages, or the plate may be constructed with walls having facial grooves or ribs for the application of closing plates having plain faces. -ther variations will readily suggest themselves to those acquainted with the art to which the invention pertains.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and carried into efi'ect same will new be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in vertical section on the line 11-of Fig. 2 showing aplate in accordance with the invention having the bafiles formed integrally with the plate structure.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional plan along the line 2-2 in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation along the line 3- 3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a partial view in elevation of the plate construction shown in Figure 5 with the cover plate 9 removed, the view being taken along the line 4='4iin Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a sectional end elevation of the construction shown in Figure 4 in connection with side closing plates. c

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 in which, in addition to the zig-zag passages for the steam, the plate is formed with faclal zigza passages tor the liquid.

i re 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 in whic the steam conducting part is divided through the baifles.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the plate is formed with a frame 1 having an inlet port 2' and an outlet port 3. The hafies 4 are formed integrally with the sides of the plate and in steam tight connection at the upper end with a closin plate a and s aced from a similar closing p ate b, at the ower end to provide the turn in the zig-zag passage. 5 indicates the baflles which are s seed from the upper end with a distance of similar to the bafiles 4 at the lower end but which are stepped in their distance of separation from the lower part .of the frame or in graduated relation thereto as indicated at 6, thedistance of separation increasing from theinlet to theoutlet end. It may not be necessary .in -all cases so to space the lower ends of alternate baflies but the arrangement is preferable in that it provides a path 'for the passage of the condensate and while allowing the condensate to pass to the outlet it -"has t e effect of trapping the heating medium-steam, for exampleand of causing the same to readily follow the zig-zag course.

By gradually enlarging the apertures in the manner described and shown the free escape of'the condensate is provided for.

88 A similar result may be obtained with a ertures or gaps of small equal area as it is found that in spite of the volume of condensed gas or vapour increasing from the inlet to the outlet port the flow of the con- 80 densate to the latter rt is in many cases adequatel assured w ile any escape therewith of t e heatingv as or vapour (steam) is negli 'ble and we d occur only in a slight degree rough the apertures at the inlet end of the plate. I v

I The outlet-port may conveniently be arranged at a somewhat higher level than the last ofthe bafiies 5, as indicated at 7, thereby forming a' dam for the condensate whereby a 9 slight water seal is provided'which is found to assist in preventing steam passing under the said batlles 5.-

It will be seen that, upon steam entering at 2 and passing downward along the assage prises plates having a formed between the frame 1' and t e first baflle 4, a. very small uantity will be liable to pass beneath the first afie 5, the bulk thereof passing upward between the first bafie 4 and the first bafile 5 over the top of the latter and soonward between the several bafles and along the zig-zag 1passe to the outlet 3. eanw ile, the'condensate will travel along the" inner frame surface.

through the several successive and graduated apertures 6 as illustrated, or through the several apertures of slight or equal small area (not shown to the outlet port 3. If found necessary, t e said inner framesurface may be inclined somewhat towardsthe outlet port so as to assist the flow 'of the condensate.

The plate may be constructed in various forms, those illustrated being given bv separation for the across the plate in a series of interior zig-zag passa es, there being a facially ribbed or groove plate 0 for the passage of liquid associated therewith. In Figures 4 and 5 the plate is constituted by a frame of rectangular formation having the bullies 4, 5 extending therefrom and forming a kind of grid, 1t bein understood thatthe 'bafiles 5 are so connecte at their lower ends to the frame as to provide the apertures 6 of small or graduated area assage of the condensate as hereinbefore ascribed. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 the apertures 6 occur on each side of a. connecting iece 5'. The zig-zag passages formed by t e baflies are closed by 8 plain plates 9. In Figure 6, the plate, in the main, is similar in construction to' that illustrated in Figure 2 but one of the faces is formedor provided with grooves or ribs 10 adapted to furnish zig-zig passages or channels' for the liqgid to be treated, the said grooves or ribs ing closed by a plain plate 9. The plate ma moreover be divided as shown in Figure 11 indicating the line of division and theparts being indlcated by the. .q reference numerals 1 andl while the bames are indicaed at 4'and 4' in-the respective halves of the plate. I

Instead of stopping-oi! the baflles 5 at their lower ends to provide the apertures 6, the said 1| lower ends may connect with the inner surface of the frame and the latter be grooved so as to-form a channel for the flow of the condensate; the said groove increasing in de th as it approaches the outlet port. Ender some conditions of working it may not be necessary to provide the small apertures at the lower end of all the bafiles 5 but only those towards the outlet port. Forinstance, two, three or four bafiles 5 at the inlet end may be closed at the bottom or unprovided withthe small apertures (6).

I claim Plate heat exchange apparatus which comframe part, parallelly disposed ribs forming bafiles within the frame part and to-and-fro ong continuous zig-zag communicating assages for the conduction of the liquid to. treated and the treating medium and havingthe ribs which form the last mentioned passages connected to the frame part of the plate at one end and spacedtherefrom at the other end and certain of the ribs provided with apertures at the lower end to permit the escape of condensate, m the plates also having admission and exhaust ports and communicating assa therefrom to the aforesaid liquid and metfirin conduct-' ing passages. v

In testimon whereof'I have subscribed m mysignaturet s 25th da of Februa ,1929.

RICHAIE D SELIG AN.

of example. In Figures 1, 2 and 3 the plate is shown with plain'faces 8 and the'baffles are formed integrally therewith, resulting 

